Who Were the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus? - Resurrection Who Were the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus? Who Were the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus? James Boice About James Boice The answer to this question is not as uncertain as most people, who are accustomed to referring merely to the “Emmaus disciples,” are likely to assume. For one thing, the story itself gives the name of one of them. If you turn to Luke 24:18, you will find that one of the disciples was called Cleopas. Moreover, if you will then use any good concordance of the words occurring in the New Testament and look up the word “Cleopas,” you will find a second mention of his name in another account of the Resurrection . The reference is John 19:25. There we read, “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.” It is true that John spells the name a bit differently. But the spelling of names often varied in antiquity, and here the two names undoubtedly refer to the same person.

Thus, we learn that the wife of Cleopas was also present in Jerusalem at the time of the Crucifixion. And we may, therefore, assume that she was the one returning to Emmaus with him on the morning of the Resurrection. Moreover, I believe that we can know even more than this. For it seems clear to me that John has given us her name when he writes of “his [Jesus’] mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.” I must admit that because of the way John has written this verse it is not at once obvious whether John is identifying the first Mary he mentions as the sister of the virgin Mary or as the wife of Cleopas. But a little thought shows that the second of these should be preferred. For one thing, John seems to be distinguishing between two different Marys in the second part of the verse—Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. At least this is the most natural way of interpreting the sentence.

Second, if this is not the case, then either there is an unidentified Mary in the story (making five persons) or else there is a Mary who is the sister of the Virgin Mary. The first case is unlikely in itself as well as unlike John’s literary style. And the second is unlikely simply because it would mean there were two sisters, both named Mary. These reasons seem to point to the wife of Cleopas being named Mary, a woman who (we are told elsewhere) was also the mother of James the less and Joses and who had been a follower of Jesus as well as a helper of Jesus and His immediate disciples (Mark 15:40, 41: cf. Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10). The whole of the argument means that, after His appearance to Mary Magdalene in the garden early in the morning, Jesus next appeared (not counting a private, unrecorded appearance to Peter) to a man and his wife, Cleopas and Mary, and this before He appeared to any of the so-called “regular” disciples. Taken from “ The Way to Emmaus ” by Dr. James Boice (used by permission).

Luke 24:13-35 NIV - On the Road to Emmaus - Now that same - Bible Gateway Luke 24:13-35New International Version (NIV) On the Road to Emmaus 13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[ a ] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.

20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.

29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. Footnotes: Cleopas: The Eyes that Are Most Important to Jesus | Desiring God Cleopas: The Eyes that Are Most Important to Jesus @Bloom_Jon Jon Bloom serves as author, board chair, and co-founder of Desiring God.

He is author of three books, Not by Sight , Things Not Seen , and Don’t Follow Your Heart . He and his wife live in the Twin Cities with their five children. @Bloom_Jon Jon Bloom serves as author, board chair, and co-founder of Desiring God. He is author of three books, Not by Sight , Things Not Seen , and Don’t Follow Your Heart . He and his wife live in the Twin Cities with their five children. Arrow Staff writer, desiringGod.org Luke included the Emmaus road account (Luke 24:13-35), no doubt, because it was a powerful testimony of the resurrected Jesus by two credible eyewitnesses (Cleopas likely would have been known to many first generation Christians). But there is also something valuable to see in how Jesus chose to reveal himself to these sad, cynical disciples. *** It was Sunday afternoon. Cleopas and his companion exited Jerusalem's Western Gate, heading toward Emmaus. Even a casual observer could tell that their discussion was intense. About fifteen minutes into the journey, a man they did not recognize overtook them.

"What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" They just stopped and looked at him, dumbfounded. Jesus' execution was about the only thing people were talking about in Jerusalem. It had been the tragic climax to a week of controversy, confrontation, and political intrigue. Perhaps "climax" was premature. A new twist had emerged that morning. Jesus' body was missing. No statements had been issued from the Sanhedrin or the Romans. There were rumors of a resurrection. The gossip mills were all running at full capacity. Cleopas said, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" The man replied, "What things?" "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." Cleopas paused, clearly feeling this very deeply, then continued, "But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel." He quickly wiped his eyes and started walking again. "Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us.

They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." They walked in silence for about a minute. Then the stranger said the last thing they expected: "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" Cleopas looked over at the stranger confused. Then the man looked right into Cleopas's eyes and said, "Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" For the next two hours this strange man walked Cleopas and his friend through the entire Scriptures and explained all the references to the Christ. And as he did, the fire of their faith that had died out on Golgotha came back to life and burned with that familiar hope, the hope that Jesus was indeed the Christ. Could it really be true? Jesus resurrected? Who was this man who so beautifully made sense of everything that had happened, and yet at first had seemed clueless? There was something about him.

The sun hung low in the sky ahead of them as they reached Emmaus. The stranger gave every indication that he intended to continue on. So the two revived disciples, almost desperately, pleaded with him to stay at least for the night. They were overjoyed when he agreed. At dinner the man took some bread, pulled it apart, and gave them each a piece. As soon as the bread touched their hands they recognized who it was. Both gasped. And Jesus vanished. *** Why do you suppose these two men were "kept from recognizing" Jesus for hours (v. 16)? The clue, I think, is in verse 25. Jesus called them "foolish" and "slow of heart to believe" the Scriptures. Their outward inability to recognize Jesus mirrored their inward unbelief of what the Scriptures revealed about him. Now, Jesus fully intended to help them see. But notice the priority of Jesus' revelation: before he opened their physical eyes, he purposed to open their heart-eyes. Why? Because it was of utmost importance that they "walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus knew that between his resurrection and the full establishment of his kingdom would be the church age.

His ascension was nearing. That meant these two men, all the other witnesses of the resurrection, and every generation of believers to come would not have his bodily presence for proof or guidance. They would have to rely on his "living and active" (Hebrews 4:12) Word to "light [their] path" (Psalm 119:105). Post-ascension, Jesus would be seen through the inerrant testimony recorded in the Scriptures and the imperfect testimony of followers whose heart-eyes were opened. One last observation. When God ordains things to happen contrary to our expectations (like Cleopas not expecting Jesus to die), those are times when we are tempted to doubt his word—lose faith—and as a result lose sight of him. But not being able to see him doesn't mean that he isn't there walking with us. We may not recognize him. Those are not the times to neglect the Word. Rather, those are the times to spend hours looking. That is where you will begin to recover your sight. Trusting the One who is patient with all of us slow-to-believe disciples, Jon Bloom Executive Director P.S.

Our featured Piper message for May is titled, " The Word of God: Living, Active, Sharp. " Our prayer is that it will equip you in your ongoing fight against blinding unbelief. Our finances are tight right now, and so we ask you to prayerfully consider a financial gift this month in support of our domestic and international outreach strategies. Jon Bloom ( @Bloom_Jon ) serves as author, board chair, and co-founder of Desiring God. He is author of three books, Not by Sight , Things Not Seen , and Don’t Follow Your Heart . He and his wife live in the Twin Cities with their five children. More Resources Better Sermons : The Testimony of Cleopas The Testimony of Cleopas Scripture: Luke 24:13-32 Subject: How did the two disciples on the road to Emmaus respond after they met Jesus, listened to His teachings, and finally recognized Him? Complement: They believed that He was the Messiah. Exegetical Idea: When the two disciples on the road to Emmaus met Jesus, listened to His teachings and finally recognized Him, they believed that He was the Messiah. Homiletical Idea: Jesus, your Messiah, wants to walk with you!

Purpose: To encourage my hearers to examine the evidence regarding Jesus as the Messiah and to accept Him as their personal Savior. Note: You are free to edit this MS Word file and make it your own. Download Only Luke records the story. Not a word from Matthew, or Mark, or John. And at first reading, the story leaves us with more questions than answers. And yet, as I studied the story of the Emmaus Road in preparation for today’s message, I sensed that I was walking on holy ground! The story that I’m referring to is found in Luke 24, beginning with verse 13. “Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.” What “same day” is Dr. Luke referring to? Go back to Luke 24:1. This is the day that Christians call “Easter Sunday.” The first day of the week. Jesus was crucified on Friday. Rested in the tomb on the Sabbath day, and on the first day of the week the women come to the tomb and the stone has been rolled away.

Two angels share the glorious news, recorded in Luke 24:5-6: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” It is “that same day”, according to Luke, that two “of them” were going to a village called Emmaus.” Who does the “of them” refer two? “Two of them”? Well, according to Luke 24:9, the women who heard this glorious testimony from the angels gave a report “to the Eleven and to all the others.” Do you see that in Luke 24:9? The close followers of Jesus had been referred to as the Twelve. But Judas had denied Jesus and betrayed Him with a kiss. Simon Peter had also denied Jesus and betrayed Him with a curse. But Simon Peter had repented with tears. Judas, on the other hand, had experienced only remorse and hanged himself. So now there were Eleven, rather than the Twelve. But please notice in Luke 24:9 that the women gave their testimony about Jesus being risen from the dead not only to the Eleven, but “to all the others.” Jesus had many more disciples than just the Twelve.

Luke records, at the beginning of the book of Acts, that there were about 120 followers of Jesus. The two walking on the road to Emmaus were “two of them.” Two disciples of Jesus. One of these disciples is identified in Luke 24:18. His name was...Cleopas. Who was Cleopas? Eusebius, in the 4th century AD came up with the idea that Cleopos was the brother of Joseph, and therefore the uncle of Jesus. Recently, someone has proposed that Cleopas married Mary, mother of Jesus, after she became a widow. Neither of these positions is overtly supported in Scripture. Some have wondered if Cleopas is the same as the Clopas mentioned by John in John 19:25. In John 19:25, we read, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” If Cleopas and Clopas are one and the same, then Cleopas’ wife was one of the holy women who followed Jesus.

She was present at the cross with Mary the mother of Jesus, with Mary’s sister, and with Mary Magdalene. She may also have been among the group of women at the tomb who heard the glorious report from the angels, “He is not here! He is risen!” That conclusion seems to be supported by a comment that Cleopas makes later in Luke 24:22 when he says, “some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.” But as we’ll discover from the next part of the story, Cleopas is skeptical about the report. Perhaps you’re wondering about the other disciple. Who was he? We don’t know. Some have suggested that this was Matthias, the one who would later become the replacement for Judas, one of the Twelve. But Dr. Luke doesn’t provide that information. There is one interesting piece of information that Luke provides. In Luke 24:29, these two disciples say, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” What can you learn from that comment? Stay with us?

Perhaps these two disciples were related. That’s certainly possible. Like the brothers Peter and Andrew. Or James and John. Perhaps this was Cleopas and this brother. Or perhaps this was a father and son. Apparently, they are staying in the same house and they are both disciples of Jesus. Some of you might be thinking, “We don’t know very much about these two individuals. Cleopas could be Clopas, but we’re not sure. And we don’t know the identity of the other disciple. Where was Emmaus?” Unfortunately, we don’t know that either! Emmaus was not a city with walls, like Bethlehem or Jerusalem. That was called a μητρüπολη, from which we get our English word metropolis. But Emmaus is referred to as a village, a smaller settlement. This is the only place in Scripture that Emmaus is mentioned. Archeologists are not sure of its location, though the text tells us that it was about 60 stadia from Jerusalem. A stadion was about 607 feet. So 60 stadia is a little under 7 miles if you’re traveling in a straight line.

Probably 7-8 eight miles on a winding road. That distance is important for us, because it let’s us know how long the disciples were walking on that road. It also gives us a clue as to when they began their journey. How long would it take to walk 7-8 miles? About two hours at normal walking speed. But probably the walk to Emmaus took longer. They were talking together as they walked on the way. And Luke tells us that when they arrived at Emmaus it was already dusk. The sun sets in that region at about 6:30 in the evening. So we can infer that these two disciples left Jerusalem in the early afternoon. They had heard a report from “their women” earlier in the day and now they were heading home to their small village of Emmaus. Apparently, they had not heard the testimony of Mary Magdalene who met with Jesus near the garden tomb. So these two disciples are walking on the road to Emmaus, talking about the events of the past few days. And this is where the story takes an interesting turn. Look with me at Luke’s record in Luke 24:14-16. “They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.

As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.” Jesus, the Risen Lord, catches up with them on the road. But notice, “they were kept from recognizing him.” What does that mean? Did Jesus look different after His resurrection? I don’t think so. Other disciples recognized Him instantly. So what is going on here? They were kept from recognizing Him. Apparently, what’s happening isn’t natural. Something supernatural is going on. Listen carefully to the rest of the story and I think that you’ll understand why they were kept from recognizing Jesus at first. Let’s read on in Luke 24:17. “He asked them, ‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’ They stood still, their faces downcast.” You get the impression that they were almost speechless. Shocked. Like “Where have you been?” Then Cleopas expresses his thoughts in words.

Luke 24:18 “One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, ‘Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?’” You can pick up a little amazement in Cleopas’ voice. But Jesus coaches Cleopas to share his thoughts. “What things?” Jesus asked. We can read Cleopas’ response in Luke 24:19-24 “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.

Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” What do you hear in Cleopas’ testimony? Disappointment. Discouragement. Doubt. Cleopas calls Jesus “a prophet, powerful in word and deed” but he doesn’t call Jesus Messiah. And Cleopas doesn’t say, “The women saw angels who said the Jesus was alive.” But rather “they came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive.” Do you hear a difference? Cleopas and the unnamed disciple are not walking along the road to Emmaus rejoicing that Jesus is the Messiah and that He is risen from the dead. They are disappointed. Discouraged. Doubting if Jesus was who they really thought he was. And how does Jesus respond? Look at Luke 24:25-26. “He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’” Why doesn’t Jesus just say, “It’s me! Jesus! I am risen from the dead!”?

Any ideas. For the same reason that the disciples were kept from recognizing Him at first. Jesus has something very important to share with them. What would have happened if Jesus had boldly announced, “It’s Me! Jesus! I am risen from the dead”? Those two disciples would have been so excited, they wouldn’t have listened to a word more that He said. But Jesus has something very important to share with them. In fact, in my opinion, it’s the most important Bible study that was ever given. What was the content of that Bible study? Look with me at Luke 24:27. “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Don’t you wish that you could have been there for that Bible study? Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself! We are going to prayerfully try to reconstruct that Bible study as part of this series of messages on The Emmaus Road, and it’s my prayer that what happened to those disciples would also happen to us! What happened to them? Look at their testimony in Luke 24:32.

They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” What do those words mean to you? “Were not our hearts burning within us?” They were under conviction. They sensed that they were uncovering sacred treasure. They sensed that they were walking on holy ground. Before Jesus met with them on the road and showed them all the evidence in the Scriptures concerning Himself their fire was going out. Now, their hearts were burning within them! That’s my prayer for each one of us as we take this journey together over the next few weeks. I’m praying that our hearts would burn within us as we discover the truths of God’s Word which clearly point to Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior of the world! But perhaps some who have never read this story before are wondering if those two disciples on the Emmaus road ever did recognize that it was Jesus who was speaking to them. The answer is yes! And here is how it happened. Look with me at Luke 24, beginning with verse 28. “As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther.

But they urged him strongly, ‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. “ As Jesus broke the bread, they recognized Him! Was it the way that Jesus broke the bread? Or did they see the nail prints in His hands? Or was it now God’s appointed time for the veil to be lifted? We’re not sure. But this much is certain. When Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, they recognized Him! And then something else supernatural happened. Jesus disappeared from their sight. They would see Him again in the upper room after they had hurried all the way back the 7-8 miles to Jerusalem, this time in the dark! That’s a combined distance of almost two thirds of a marathon. But they were excited! Their hearts were still burning within them.

Luke records in Luke 24:35 that when they found where the Eleven were assembled, “Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.” It is a joyful experience when a person recognizes Jesus for who He really is! Not just a prophet, powerful in word and deed, but as Messiah, Savior. And not just Savior of the world, but your personal Savior. Cleopas and the unnamed disciple experienced that joy when they recognized Jesus as more than a prophet. He was their Messiah. Their Savior. Their Risen Lord. I have asked someone today to share her testimony of coming to recognize Jesus as Messiah. (Invite Evie to come to the platform) Evie, tell us a little about your childhood. I met you just recently at a class reunion at Forest Lake Academy. How did you end up at Forest Lake Academy? That’s a long way from Haiti! How did the truth about Jesus that you learned at FLA impact your life? How did your parents respond to your new found faith in Jesus as Messiah? How did that reaction affect your life? What is your testimony today about Jesus? Evie joins us each week via our web church.

But today is a very special day, because Evie has requested to become a member of the Forest Lake Church by her profession of faith! What is your response, church family? Amen! Welcome home, Evie. Welcome home! Evie has been on a journey, and her eyes have been opened. Her heart has burned within her as she has heard the truth about Jesus. And like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Evie has come to believe that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. Her Messiah. Her Savior. It’s my prayer that as we continue this Emmaus Road series that you too would have your heart burn within you as you hear the truth about Jesus, and that you too would come to recognize that Jesus, your messiah, wants to walk with you. Listen now as Steve Green sings about that Emmaus Road. (Song with mime) Who is Jesus Christ And never see the mystery unfold But those who take to heart the word that has been spoken As He breaks the bread of life their eyes will open Chorus (2 times) The Savior wants to walk with you. Words and music by Gary Driskell, Marty Hennis, David Handbelt and Jeff Silvey.

Copyright 1994 Word Music (a div. of Word, Inc)/Ariose Music (ASCAP)/Shepherd's Fold Music (a div. of Star Song Communications, admin. by Gaither Copyright Mgmt.) (BMI). All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission. Jesus, your Messiah, wants to walk with you! Closing prayer. Return to Sermon Series . ______________________________ By Derek Morris, Pastor of the Forest Lake Church in Apopka, FL. Better Sermons © 2005-2009. Click here for usage guidelines . Illustrations Cleopas Site map Cleopas (or Cleophas) Cleopas is one of the two disciples who talked with Jesus on the Road to Emmaus, after Jesus was resurrected. Emmaus is a village seven miles from Jerusalem. Cleopas and the other disciple did not recognize Jesus at first, but after they invited Jesus to stay with them, due to the late hour, they realized Who he was while breaking bread with him at the table. Jesus vanished at that point. So the two disciples returned to Jerusalem to tell the eleven Apostles and those with them, that they saw the resurrected Jesus.

While they were still speaking about this, Jesus suddenly appeared in their midst and said "Peace be with you." (Luke 24:13-36). In John 19:25, there is a person named Mary, a witness to the crucifixion, who is identified as having a husband named Cleopas. But it is unknown if he is the same Cleopas who witnessed the resurrected Jesus. Together At One Altar | Road to Emmaus THE EMMAUS STORY On the road to Emmaus Jesus appears to two disciples. This is the longest single post-resurrection narrative in the gospels. Luke 24:13-35 13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16but their eyes were kept from recognising him. 17And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad.

18Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’ 19He asked them, ‘What things?’ They replied, ‘The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him’. 25Then he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!

26Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ 27Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.28As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over’. So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened, and they recognised him; and he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ 33That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.

34They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he had appeared to Simon!’ 35Then they told what has happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. The Way to Emmaus - The Bible Study Hour with Dr. James Boice Listen Archives Podcast More... The Way to Emmaus If you are ever inclined to doubt that the Word of God continues to show life-transforming power, even in the twentieth century, you ought to read a book by England’s social critic Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990), entitled Jesus Rediscovered. 1 In England, as also to some extent in America, Muggeridge has gained a tremendous reputation, first, as the editor of the satirical weekly news magazine, Punch, and then, more recently, as a television personality. As Britain’s scourge of the Establishment, Muggeridge has taken on the government, the royal family, international politics, even the church. And it is safe to say that in the eyes of most Englishmen there has probably never been a less likely candidate for conversion to Christ or Christianity.

Nevertheless, Muggeridge today gives testimony to the power of Christ through the Scripture to transform his life and the lives of others. He recounts his conversion as something that happened to him when he was in Israel for the British Broadcasting System Although several factors contributed to it, the truth of the gospel and of Christ’s living presence really came to him first when, for the filming of a program of the New Testament, he was walking along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, as those two disciples had done nearly 2,000 years ago on the morning of Jesus’ Resurrection. I believe that the road to Emmaus is a road that must be walked, in one sense, by everyone who would become a better Christian. And it is in that light that I would like us to study it. The walk started out in disbelief and sadness. It ended in joy, excitement, love, and true devotion. The same can happen to each one of us. Like all of Christ’s appearances to the disciples after the Resurrection, His appearance to the two Emmaus disciples involves a story. And we must begin by telling it. To start with: Who were these disciples?

The answer to this question is not as uncertain as most people, who are accustomed to referring merely to the “Emmaus disciples,” are likely to assume. For one thing, the story itself gives the name of one of them. If you turn to Luke 24:18 , you will find that one of the disciples was called Cleopas. Moreover, if you will then use any good concordance of the words occurring in the New Testament and look up the word “Cleopas,” you will find a second mention of his name in another account of the Resurrection. The reference is John 19:25 . There we read, “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.” It is true that John spells the name a bit differently. But the spelling of names often varied in antiquity, and here the two names undoubtedly refer to the same person. Thus, we learn that the wife of Cleopas was also present in Jerusalem at the time of the Crucifixion. And we may, therefore, assume that she was the one returning to Emmaus with him on the morning of the Resurrection.

Moreover, I believe that we can know even more than this. For it seems clear to me that John has given us her name when he writes of “his [Jesus’] mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.” I must admit that because of the way John has written this verse it is not at once obvious whether John is identifying the first Mary he mentions as the sister of the virgin Mary or as the wife of Cleopas. But a little thought shows that the second of these should be preferred. For one thing, John seems to be distinguishing between two different Marys in the second part of the verse — Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. At least this is the most natural way of interpreting the sentence. Second, if this is not the case, then either there is an unidentified Mary in the story (making five persons) or else there is a Mary who is the sister of the Virgin Mary. The first case is unlikely in itself as well as unlike John’s literary style. And the second is unlikely simply because it would mean there were two sisters, both named Mary.

These reasons seem to point to the wife of Cleopas being named Mary, a woman who (we are told elsewhere) was also the mother of James the less and Joses and who had been a follower of Jesus as well as a helper of Jesus and His immediate disciples ( Mark 15:40,41 : cf. Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10 ). The whole of the argument means that, after His appearance to Mary Magdalene in the garden early in the morning, Jesus next appeared (not counting a private, unrecorded appearance to Peter) to a man and his wife, Cleopas and Mary, and this before He appeared to any of the so-called “regular” disciples. Now someone will no doubt be asking why this should have been so. But the answer is not at all mysterious. It is simply that at this time Cleopas and Mary were among the very few of Christ’s disciples who knew of the Crucifixion and who were therefore ready to learn about the Resurrection.

We must remember at this point that the disciples who were last seen in the garden where Jesus had stopped in the midst of His normal nightly return to Bethany from Jerusalem, had scattered and had no doubt returned to Bethany. The psychology of the situation demands that they would have fled away from Jerusalem, not toward it. And reason dictates that they would have hoped to collect again at the place to which they had been heading. At any rate, with the exception of Peter and John, who followed those who had arrested Jesus, none of the disciples are mentioned as being in Jerusalem until after the Resurrection. They would not have traveled on the Sabbath. And it is likely, therefore, that until the day of the Resurrection the fact of the Crucifixion was known only to Peter and John, the women who were present at the cross, including Jesus’ mother, and whatever other acquaintances of Jesus were present in Jerusalem for the Passover. Here we must reconstruct what had happened. The wife of Cleopas, we know, had been present at the foot of the cross. She had seen the Lord Jesus Christ crucified, the nails driven into His hands and the cross erected. She saw the blood. She heard Him cry out. She experienced the darkness.

Finally she saw the spear driven into His side. Mary would have had no doubt at all that Christ was dead. And neither would Cleopas, who may have witnessed many of these things also. When the Crucifixion was over Mary went home. The Passover came, and Mary and Cleopas observed it like good Jews. They waited in sadness over the holidays — from the day of the Crucifixion until the day of the Resurrection — for the same restraints that had kept the women from going to the sepulchre to anoint the body would also have kept Cleopas and Mary from returning home to Emmaus. The morning after the Saturday Sabbath came finally. Mary went to the tomb to anoint the body with the other women, leaving Cleopas to get their things together. She saw the angles, returned to tell Cleopas about it, and then — and now look how utterly remarkable this is — joined him in preparing to leave. So far from her thinking was any idea of the literal truth of Christ’s bodily resurrection! What is more, during the time that Cleopas and Mary were getting ready to leave, the women as a body told Peter and John what they had been told by the angels.

Peter and John set out for the garden sepulchre. They entered the tomb. John believed in some sense, although he may not have understood so early what the Resurrection actually was and meant. Peter and John returned, told Cleopas and Mary and the others what they had seen, and then — again it is most remarkable — Cleopas and Mary went right on packing. And, as soon as they were ready, they left Jerusalem. Did this Palestinian peasant couple believe in Christ’s Resurrection? Certainly not! Did they come to believe, as they eventually did, because of their own or someone else’s wishful thinking or an hallucination? Not at all. Here was a couple who were so sad at the loss of the Lord Jesus, so miserable, so preoccupied with the reality of His death, that they would not even take 20 or 30 minutes to investigate the reports of His Resurrection personally. Now if someone should say, “But surely they must not have heard the reports; you are making that part of the story up,” the objection is refuted by the very words of Cleopas.

For when Jesus eventually appeared to them on the road and asked why they were so sad, Cleopas answered by telling Him first about the Crucifixion and then adding, “Yea, and certain women also of our company amazed us, who were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not his body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. And certain of those who were with us [that is, Peter and John] went to the sepulchre, and found it even as the women had said; but they saw him not” ( Luke 24:22-24 ). What is it that accounts for a belief in the Resurrection on the part of Christ’s disciples? The answer is the Resurrection itself. Nothing but the Resurrection! If we cannot account for the belief of the disciples in that way, we are faced with one of the greatest enigmas in world history. If we account for it by means of a real resurrection, then Christianity is understandable. It is genuine. And it offers a sure and certain hope to us all. But we are getting ahead of the story.

At this point Cleopas and Mary have not yet believed, and they were going home. It was all over. The dream was dead, and they were sad. As they made their solitary way on the road to Emmaus Jesus came, but they didn’t recognize Him. The last time they had seen Him He was beaten, marred, and bleeding. Here He was in a glorified body, and they didn’t know Who He was. So as they went on their way Jesus drew near to them, as He does to all who walk the Emmaus road, and asked them why they were sad. Now, if there was ever a reply that was filled with misconceptions and misunderstandings it was this one. What did they say? “Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?” Jesus said, “What things?” They answered, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

But we hoped that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel” ( Luke 24:18-21 ). He Who should have redeemed Israel! How odd that they should have used that word. For, of course, that was precisely the reason for Christ’s death on the cross. He was redeeming men. However, they were thinking of a different kind of redemption. Jesus Christ was redeeming them from sin, and all they were thinking of was a deliverance from Rome. Redemption means to buy out of slavery and to set free, and they had been hoping that Jesus would be the Messiah Who should make them free as a nation and set them up with an earthly king much the way they had been under the line of David or the Maccabees. Jesus had died to redeem them from sin. But that! Oh, they didn’t care about that. That wasn’t what they were looking for. And, of course, that is not what men are looking for today. We all want freedom from oppression in order to pursue our own will without hindrance. We would all love to have our problems solved. But we don’t want the problem of our sins solved quite so readily.

Because for Christ to redeem us from sin, He must condemn our sin and set us on a path of righteousness that we do not naturally choose for ourselves. Thus, Jesus began with Cleopas and Mary in the same way He must begin with us, with redemption from sin. And He explained it to them beginning with the Old Testament. When Jesus began to open the Scriptures to Cleopas and Mary, He initiated the first of three openings that are mentioned in this chapter. He opened the Scriptures, He opened their eyes, and He opened their understanding. These are so significant that they would make an outline for a study all by themselves. The first opening takes place in the middle of the story ( Luke 24:25-27 ), but the phrase itself occurs a bit later, in verse 32, as they reflected on what Christ had said to them. “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures?” Have you learned that God always works that way when He points a man or a woman to Jesus Christ? How did Jesus begin Himself at the start of His ministry?

He went into the synagogue of Nazareth on the Sabbath day and began to read from the sixty-first chapter of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” ( Luke 4:18-19 ). When He had finished reading these words He sat down and applied them saying, “This day is the scripture fulfilled in your ears” (verse 21). A little while later the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus asking if He were indeed the Messiah, and once again he referred to this passage. Where are you going to find out the truth about God? Everybody has a different idea about Him. Everybody is writing about Him. Where can you find out the truth? The answer is that you will find out about God as you find out about Jesus Christ. He said, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” ( John 14:9 ).

And you will find out about Jesus Christ only as you open the Scriptures. The second opening is in Luke 24:31 , and it is a consequence of the first. Jesus had taught them on the way. And then, as He sat with them and broke bread with them in their home, “their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” This is as true today as it was then. If you will open the Scriptures, God will open your eyes by means of His Holy Spirit so you will recognize Jesus. The third opening is the one we find at the very end of the story after Cleopas and Mary had returned to Jerusalem and had told the other disciples of Christ’s appearance to them. We are told that as they were speaking Jesus appeared again in their midst and then “opened...their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” ( Luke 24:45 ). It was the opening of their minds so that they might begin to understand in some depth the things that were written in the Old Testament concerning Him. Now there is a great deal more to the story of Cleopas and Mary and of their meeting with the Lord Jesus Christ. For each of these three openings had an important consequence in their lives.

And these three results should also occur for us when our Bibles, eyes, and minds are opened. When Jesus opened the Scriptures we are told that their hearts burned within them. They were saying, “Isn’t this exciting? Isn’t it thrilling?” And, of course, the opening of the Scriptures should be equally exciting for all who study them today. If this is not true in your life, you are not really opening the Scriptures as you ought. There was another consequence when Jesus opened the eyes of Cleopas and Mary to recognize Him. No doubt they had arrived in Emmaus toward the end of the day. They were tired. It was dark. The way back to Jerusalem was difficult, long, and dangerous. Nevertheless, they experienced an immediate desire to tell others about the risen Lord. And thus, without any great deliberation, they set out for Jerusalem the same night and there told their story. Perception of the risen Christ always leads to such action. There is always a testimony. Finally, as Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures they doubtless entered into a phase of their life in which they understood both the Scriptures and the Lord Himself differently. Before, much of the Word of God was a mystery.

Hereafter, when they would return to the book of Genesis and read about the seed of the woman who would bruise the serpent’s head, they would know that the seed was Jesus. And thus, Genesis would be new for them. And they would understand the Lord Himself better. They would read a bit further and find that He is not only the seed of the woman, He is the seed of Abraham also, the one who was to bring blessings to the nations. They would recognize the fulfillment of this prophecy in the subsequent proclamation of the gospel to the Gentiles. Cleopas and Mary would see Jesus prefigured in the life of Joseph. In Exodus He would be perceived as the Passover lamb. In Numbers He is the rock in the wilderness from Whom we all receive the water of life freely. He is also the cloud Who guides His people and covers them with His protection. Deuteronomy pictures Jesus Christ as the righteous One, and it defines that righteousness. In Joshua He is the captain of the Lord’s hosts. In Psalms and in the prophets we are told of His suffering, death, and Resurrection.

In some of them — Ezekiel, Daniel, and some others — we learn of His Second Coming in great power and glory. The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, portrays Him as the Son of Righteousness risen with healing in His wings. These three openings — the opening of the Scriptures, the opening of the eyes, and the opening of the understanding — are three great blessings that we should all desire of the resurrected Lord. Because when the Bible is opened and we see the Lord Jesus Christ as He is interpreted to us by the divine operation of the Holy Spirit, we will never be the same again. The Word itself will be different. It will not be a mystery. It will have a theme. It will make sense. And what is more, it will be a great blessing. For it will be the place where we meet with Jesus Who died for us and Who now lives to be known by His followers. Notes Cleopas, Why You Should Know Him | Yeshua in Context Cleopas, Why You Should Know Him October 8th, 2010 | 3 Comments A strange thing happens at the end of Luke’s gospel (several strange things, in fact).

Yeshua, unrecognizable even by his disciples, walks with two of them on a road to Emmaus. Which two? Only one is named: Cleopas. Why is only one of them named? And what else do we know about Cleopas? Here is where we get into some fascinating material from Richard Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony. Cleopas is perhaps the most interesting case. And this evidence is the kind of simple, memorable material to silence skeptics who doubt completely that the story of Yeshua has a solid historical basis. First, a few things we know about Cleopas: (1) Cleopas is one of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:18). (2) His wife is named Mary and she was at the cross (John 19:25, Clopas is a form of Cleopas and the name is rare). (3) Cleopas was Yeshua’s uncle (Joseph’s brother) spoken of in Eusebius (citing Hegesippus) in Hist. Ecclus. 3.11; 4.22.

(4) Cleopas’ son, Simon, the cousin of Jacob (James) and Yeshua, was the leader who replaced Jacob (James) over the Jerusalem congregation. But here is the most important thing: Cleopas is a perfect example of a trend in the gospels. The people who are named are treated so for a very important reason. The only consistent answer that explains why some are named and some are not (Baukham mounts his case with overwhelming evidence of detail) is that the named characters were known to the evangelists as eyewitnesses. They lived and told their story of encountering Yeshua again and again. Cleopas is one example, a person of great importance in the Yeshua movement after the events the gospels narrate. He is a rare case of someone we know from later historical records as well. And the fact that he is named and not the other disciple illustrates the truth. The only plausible reason the other disciple is not named is that Luke did not have a record of his story or that he was not generally known afterward as one of the eyewitnesses in the movement. But Cleopas, apparently, was.

Look for more on this theme under the categories “Disciples & Named Characters” and “Eyewitnesses.” See Richard Bauckham’s book for a full analysis, including charts of gospel names and variants. Cleopas Site map Cleopas (or Cleophas) Cleopas is one of the two disciples who talked with Jesus on the Road to Emmaus, after Jesus' resurrection. Emmaus is a village seven miles from Jerusalem. Cleopas and the other disciple did not recognize Jesus at first, but after they invited Jesus to stay with them, due to the late hour, they realized Who he was while breaking bread with him at the table. Jesus vanished at that point. So the two disciples returned to Jerusalem to tell the eleven Apostles and those with them, that they saw the resurrected Jesus. While they were still speaking about this, Jesus suddenly appeared in their midst and said "Peace be with you." (Luke 24:13-36). In John 19:25, there is a person named Mary, a witness to the crucifixion, who is identified as having a husband named Cleopas.

But it is unknown if he is the same Cleopas who witnessed the resurrected Jesus. Next person in the Bible: Cornelius

Question: In the Bible, on the road to where did Cleopas encounter Jesus?
Answer: Emmaus